


Snapshot of Another Life

by LittleTayy



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Derek Shepherd POV, F/M, Gen, altered timeline, oneshots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:08:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27173585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleTayy/pseuds/LittleTayy
Summary: Scenes that might've happened had Addison and Mark stayed in New York. Told from Derek's perspective. AU.
Relationships: Addison Montgomery/Mark Sloan
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just a random idea that came to me. I thought it'd be interesting to see something from Derek's perspective of a life Addison and Mark lead if neither had gone to Seattle and her pregnancy hadn't been terminated. I hope you enjoy. Please review. :) LT.

Derek isn't sure what he's expecting when he knocks on the door of the brownstone. It's been five years since he's been in New York; the last brownstone door he'd been in front of had been the one he shared with Addison. This door though is to a different home, albeit one that Addison apparently now resides in.

He's nervous and it's been five years. They're divorced now but he hasn't seen her since the night he'd left. It's unfortunate how vivid the memory of her in nothing but his t-shirt sobbing, is in his mind. But he's moved on and as the door is pulled open, he realises she has too.

There's a baby on her hip. Well, not exactly a baby - the child looks like a toddler and couldn't be more than two, he deduces. The thought of her having a child startles him somewhat. They haven't been together for five years but the thought that she's had another man's child unsettles him.

"Derek?" Addison questions, absolutely stunned at the presence of her ex-husband on her doorstep. "What?...What are you doing here?" She asks, brows furrowed as the toddler on her hip peers at him curiously.

He's about to answer but is cut off by another voice coming through the house.

"Is that Daddy?!" A tiny voice exclaims full of excitement and Derek is surprised to see another small child barrelling into Addison's legs. The little girl has chestnut hair and big round blue eyes and a face he'd recognise anywhere; even if it's not on his former best friend. "Oh!" The girl pouts, frowning up at him. "Who you?"

Derek is dumbfounded. He doesn't know what to say. If he didn't know better he'd think this child is Mark's. But it can't be, _surely_. Addison wouldn't have had his best friend's child. She couldn't have.

"Adelaide! Don't be rude," Addison admonishes and the pout on the little girls face is all Addison. The redhead looks between her ex-husband and her daughter. "This is Derek. An old friend of Mommy's. Why don't you go finish watching your cartoons before dinner," Addison suggests.

Derek watches with vague amusement as the child does just that. He watches Addison again as she shifts the sleepy looking toddler on her hip, the child resting their head on her shoulder. He was here for a reason and he tries to remember it.

"I know this is out of the blue. Me showing up like this. But...I need to talk to you," Derek insisted.

Addison frowns but nods, rubbing soothing circles over her child's back. "Come in," she says wearily. "I've got to give this one her medicine," Addison informs him in a light whisper.

She's already disappeared down the hallway and Derek follows her somewhat hesitantly. This was not at all what he was expecting when he came to talk about Amelia. He tries his hardest not to look around the home but frankly, he's intrigued. A part of him still isn't comprehending that she has a child that looks like a mini Mark Sloan. He can't bring himself to face the truth of that even though it's been five years.

He stepped into the kitchen cautiously just in time to see her deposit the toddler into a high chair. The child fusses a little, looking absolutely undone at not being in her mother's arms. This child at least looks more like Addison than the talking one. Her hair is a little more auburn-y red and her features a little more like Addison's. Her eyes are the same as _his_ though and Derek tries not to frown.

Derek had thought walking in on his wife and his best friend having sex was painful. Finding out they share children has sent a weird hurt through him though. He can't explain it.

"Not to be rude Derek. But why are you here?" Addison asks as she moves around the kitchen deftly. The plunger syringe, common for children, is in her hand and though the toddler frowns and tries to turn away, Derek watches her administer the medicine with ease. He wonders how often she's had to do that and at the way she has to multitask; he and Meredith don't have any children yet.

"Derek?" Her voice is sharp and she's looking up at you expectantly now.

"Right. I came to talk to you about Amy," Derek says after another quick moment, voice grim. He volunteered for this because he knew how close Addison and Amy were. Suddenly he's regretting that he did.

"What happened? Is she okay?" Addison questions, frowning as she looks at him with worried eyes.

Derek shakes his head. "We're...not sure. She disappeared. That's why I'm here. I was hoping you'd heard from her? We think she's using again and...and she's pregnant. You were a logical person to check with."

"Oh," Addison breathes, clearly alarmed by the news. She shakes her head, grimacing. "No I haven't heard from her. We're...not exactly close anymore. The last I saw her though it seemed like she was doing good. I hope you find and she's okay. And if I see or hear from her, I'll let you know," Addison says clearly upset by the news. She has always viewed Amelia as a little sister.

"Thank you," Derek replies sincerely. He turns to leave then, because this whole visit has felt like a shock to his system he absolutely didn't ask for. As he turns he can't help spying the photos and pictures on the fridge. They're mostly of the two kids but there's one photograph that catches his eye. It's a family shot, Mark and the little girl crowded onto a hospital bed, Addison had a newborn in her arms. Mark and Addison are simply looking at each other, the love radiating from them so obvious, Derek wonders if it had always been that way. Had he just missed it?

He doesn't think he'd have missed his wife and best friend falling in love. Could he?

He shakes his head and runs a hand through his hair. He doesn't want to think about this now. Not when so many years have passed. "I'll just...see myself out. Thanks Addison," Derek tells her, turning to head out of the kitchen.

"Of course. Please, let me know when you find her," Addison calls after him.

Derek's about to reply when he's cut off by an excited shout.

"Daddy! Daddy! Did you bring pizza?" A little voice exclaims. He turns, just in time to see his ex-best friend with a pizza box in hand and reaching down to pick up the little chestnut haired girl. This was not how he'd expected to see Mark Sloan again.

"I sure did, pumpkin. Pepperoni with pineapple. Your favorite," he hears Mark say. The other man had yet to notice him and Derek wasn't quite sure what to do. He was stuck. "Where's your momma and Aspen?" Mark asks in a tone Derek is sure he's never heard before.

"Kitchen! With mommy's friend!" Adelaide tells her father and Derek can't help but be curious about her wondrous tone.

"Friend?" Mark questions and then he turns and his eyes widen as he sees Derek standing there awkwardly in the hall. "Derek?"

Derek doesn't know what to do for a moment but eventually gives him a curt nod. "Mark," he says because despite everything, he thinks it'd be rude to not even address the man in his own home. The fact that Mark's home is apparently one he shares with Addison, his ex-wife, is still not something he's quite wrapped his head around.

"What are you doing here?" Mark asks and it's honestly a fair question. The last time they'd seen each other had not been a good time. But Derek is unsure what to say and he's frozen in his spot and he can hear Addison in the kitchen.

"Ohhh. I think Daddy's home Aspen! Let's go see!" He hears his ex-wife coo to her toddler and he can't help but wince.

Then Addison is appearing in the doorway with her baby on her hip no doubt. It is such a _surreal_ experience and suddenly Derek needs to be anywhere but there. He can't see the two people that hurt him most being so domestic together. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought the scene he walked in on five years ago, would lead to this. Two children and a house and a whole goddamn life together.

"I came about Amy. I'm … going now," Derek stammered, averting his gaze from the curious little girl and his befuddled ex-best friend. He strides past them carefully, towards the front door.

And he's out of the house as quickly as he was pulled in and he feels like he can breathe again. He lingers for a moment, the door not fully closed because he wants to eavesdrop. Just for a moment.

" _Uh, Red. When did Derek come back?"_

" _I don't know. But he uh, he came over because Amy is missing. I guess...he thought I might've heard from her?"_

" _Have you?"_ A pause then and he can hear some shuffling. Maybe putting down their kids? _"Did you talk about…?"_

" _No. Just Amy. I mean...he just showed up out of the blue."_

" _I wish-"_ but he doesn't quite hear the end of the sentence.

" _I know."_ Another beat. _"Come on, we better feed these munchkins. We'll talk more later."_

And that was all Derek heard, their voices becoming a murmur as they headed further into their home. He pulled the door closed securely before he decided to leave. He never meant to intrude on their life, one that is so very different to what he'd expected.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek attends a medical conference in Baltimore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basically, this is another little oneshot I thought of about what could have happened; if Addison had never gone to Seattle, had stayed blonde and had Ella. 
> 
> I want to make it clear that the individual chapters are not connected with each other. They are oneshots and standalones. This will more then likely become a collection of oneshots about _what if_ scenarios. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy. Please review. :) LT.

**a year can change everything but anger stays the same**

* * *

It’s been over a year since Derek has seen Mark or Addison. He wasn’t looking for them either, though he knows it’s a good chance one or both of them are at the conference too. And he thinks he’s succeeded in avoiding his past East Coast life. 

But the medical conference is in Baltimore and when he finally makes out Mark Sloan’s familiar figure, he curses inwardly. He glares, even though they are across the room from each other and Mark is engaged in some kind of conversation. He’s sour, slumped by the open bar nursing a scotch; he’s just glad Mark appears to be alone. He’s prepared to toast to that. 

Until a long legged blonde makes her way towards Mark with agonising familiarity. He scoffs, not surprised his former best friend has some bimbo on his arm. He can’t see her face but he can see her body; a little curvy in a way he’s surprised Mark appreciates. But he can tell Mark enjoys her, or is at least attracted to her, by the way he wraps his arm around, hand gripping her hip. How he’s leaning towards her and holding her close against his body. Derek _hates_ that he knows these things about his ex-best friend. 

Sipping at his scotch though, he’s starting to think the woman’s movements are familiar too. The tucking and untucking of her honey blonde hair; the way she rests her hand over Mark’s on her hip; the crossing of her ankles as she leans against his former friend. 

But he doesn’t connect the dots, not until he catches a glimpse of her face. And when he does he almost chokes on his scotch. 

He has to do a double take because the Addison that’s leaning against Mark Sloan is not an Addison he knows. She’s blonde! And her breasts are at least double the size they were last time he saw her and he can’t help but scathingly wonder if she let Mark give her a boob job. She’s also apparently _still_ with his traitorous ex-best friend. That’s the biggest shocker of all for him; she’d said it was only once and clearly he was a fool to have believed her. 

He downs his scotch and slams the tumbler down before stalking out of the conference mixer. Over a year later and he still can’t be in the same ballroom as them. 

* * *

It’s the next day and there’s a break after lunch. He’s secluded himself away to call Meredith and check in. He’s just finishing the call when he hears Addison’s voice and cringes; he realises he’ll have to walk past her if he wants to get back to the main conference area. 

So he stays put, silent and out of sight. He snorts to himself when he can hear Addison’s conversation and words. 

_“I think Mark’s getting sick of me,”_ and it’s these words that give him a sick sense of satisfaction. But she keeps speaking and he just feels sick. _“Calling to check up on Ella. Joyce, our nanny says she’s fine but-“_

_“This is the longest you’ve been away from her since she was born. Isn’t it?”_ The other woman says with a knowing tone. 

Derek feels like he can’t breathe at this new revealed information. Information he certainly wasn’t supposed to have and wishes he didn’t. Information that makes Addison’s slightly fuller figure make sense. 

_“It is. But she’s only 3 months old and she’s states away. Besides, Mark’s been checking on her too. He just likes to act all macho and manly but...he loves Ella so much.”_

Addison sounds so fond and enamoured as she talks about Mark and the apparent 3 month old baby they share? That Derek doesn’t know what to do. He thought he was over Addison, that he had moved on but the stab of pain and anger that shot through his heart told him otherwise. 

Addison had had Mark’s child. They were now inexplicably tied together forever. In a way that she had never been tied to him. He couldn’t quite fathom it. 

_“...I just had these printed,”_ he hears Addison say and he assumes she’s now showing her friend photographs. _“We took her on her first trip to the Hampton’s before I started back at work. Mark was so cute with her on the beach,”_ Addison fawned and Derek cringed. 

She had gotten the Hampton's house in the divorce settlement and although he didn’t like the Hampton’s; he irrationally hates the idea of Addison and Mark there with their...with the baby. 

_“Oh my God,”_ the other sounds impressed. _“I didn’t think Mark Sloan really looked like that underneath those designer clothes and bravado.”_

And Derek rolls his eyes. 

_“He feels even better,”_ Addison replies saucily and Derek tries not to gag as both women laugh. 

_“Seriously though Addison. You seem happy and being a mom looks good on you,”_ the other woman tells her. 

Derek frowns, registering the woman’s words. He wants desperately to see Addison and see if it’s true. Though he knows being a mother would no doubt make her ecstatic, he can’t fathom that she could possibly be _happy_ with Mark of all people. 

_“The last time I saw you, you were miserable. I mean, I’m not sure if you knew but, you could just tell. There was no light in your eyes. A bad marriage can do that to you and...well. I’m glad you’re happy now.”_

Derek flinched as he heard the words ‘bad marriage’ from the other woman. He had been a good husband and he thought Addison would defend him somehow. 

_“I know. But being a mom, being with Mark? I’ve never been happier,”_ Addison gushes and Derek hates the way he just knows that she’s smiling as she speaks. 

He doesn’t know what to think or what to feel from what he’s overheard. And luckily he’s saved from overhearing any more by the announcement of another session starting. Addison and her companion get up and leave, letting Derek breathe a sigh of relief. He doesn’t think he could’ve handled hearing anymore of his ex-wife’s revelations right now. 

* * *

It is the final night of the conference and there is a dinner for all the attendees. Derek had been doing a remarkable job at avoiding Mark and Addison, no doubt thanks to his anti-social behavior but as much as he wanted to, he didn’t think he could skip out on the conference dinner. He also considers that if he knows _they_ are there, then they most certainly know he is there; and they’re doing a remarkable job of avoiding him too. Scotch glass in hand, because he’d been drinking far more then usual on this trip, he made his way towards his table. 

The tables were round and seated six. When he found his place card he noticed there were already other surgeons sitting in their seats, only two other chairs unfilled. He was glad to see at least that he wasn’t the last person to make it to the table. The doctor on his right was someone he’d worked with before, another New York doctor and he greeted him warmly. He introduced himself to the other two doctors and fell into an easy conversation with the other three surgeons. 

He finds himself actually having a decent time until he hears two familiar voices. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” he murmurs under his breath. His hand clenches around his tumbler of scotch and he freezes, he doesn’t want to look up. Of course, _of course_ it’s just his luck that his adulterous bitch of an ex-wife and his traitorous manwhore of an ex-best friend, who have had a goddamn lovechild together, are seated at the same table as him. 

“Oh,” he hears Addison say in surprise. “Derek,” she murmurs as if she is surprised to see him and maybe she is. The tension is thick around the table now and when he glances to his right, he scowls at the look of amusement on the other New York surgeons face. 

Finally he builds his courage and looks up at the two people that had torn his world apart a little over a year ago. 

“Dr. Montgomery,” he starts voice icy and eyes cold as he glared at her. His eyes flick towards his former best friend then and it almost hurts worse. “Dr. Sloan,” he sneers, quickly turning his gaze away and downing his scotch. 

From the corner of his eye he watches as they awkwardly sit down. No one is speaking at the table now and the silence is deafening. After the past year that he’s had, Derek certainly hadn’t imagined that this was how he’d be seeing Addison or Mark again. Eventually though the other doctors at the table begin making small talk and he’s not surprised when Addison joins in. 

He tries his best to tune her out, thankful that Mark has apparently learnt to shut his mouth until he hears her mention something about cheating. He snorts, rather loudly and inelegantly, his eyes finally meeting hers across the table. 

“You’d know all about cheating, wouldn’t you _Addison_ ,” he drawls nastily, a self-satisfied smirk on his lips. He senses the two other doctors beside him tense but he doesn’t care. He’s solely focused on Addison and Mark now. 

“Derek, don’t do this,” Addison says tightly, lips pursed and jaw tensed. He’s known her long enough to see that she is very uncomfortable with the scene he is making. It only makes him want to continue; after all he was very uncomfortable with seeing her fucking his best friend a year ago. 

“Do what? Talk about the fact that you’re a lying, cheating _slut_?” he spits out angrily, the venom dripping from his voice. He smirks as she flinches at his words. He’d never normally talk like this and he has to wonder if the scotches he’s been throwing back have loosened his tongue. 

He doesn’t have time to dwell however because Mark is slamming his glass down angrily and leaning forward in his seat. 

“Don’t you _ever_ talk to her like that again,” Mark growls, his voice deep and gravelly. 

Mark has never been quick to anger but Derek can see that his former best friend is deadly serious. He scowls, eyeing the pair across from him as he finishes off his drink. “Fuck you, Sloan,” he snaps out as he stands up. He’s had enough of this conference and this dinner and trying to ignore Mark and Addison when they’re right there in his face. 

“Your wife already is,” Mark bites out quickly, his own self-satisfied smirk appearing on his face. 

“Mark!” Addison hisses out in embarrassment, a hand covering half her face as she dipped her head in shame. 

Derek glares between the couple shaking his head with disgust as he turns and walks away. As he stalks away, he thinks maybe he’ll actually learn to forget about his ex-wife and his ex-best friend. But he doesn't quite think that's possible. 


End file.
